Sealed automobile safety switch



Oct. 23, 1956 J. R. DURNIN 2,768,311

SEALED AUTOMOBILE SAFETY SWITCH Filed Feb. 19, 1953 3 Sheets-Shae lINVENTOf. my

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Oct. 23, 1956 DURMN 2,768,311

SEALED AUTOMOBILE SAFETY SWITCH Filed Feb. 19, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR. WK 1% W fm United States Patent Ofiice 2,768,311 SEALEDAUTOMOBILE SAFETY SWITCH Joseph R. Durnin, Haverhill, Mass. ApplicationFebruary 19, 1956, Serial No. 337,836 Claims. (Cl. 307-) This inventionrelates to an electrical safety device for motor vehicles and moreparticularly to automobiles as distinguished from trucks. The mainpurpose of the device is to so position and attach a sealed safety makeand break cutout switch inside a specially made two part switch boxbetween the battery and the solenoid switch or starter solenoid thatclosing the switch, as for stealing a car, is very difficult except at amachine shop by using power driven tools or by first releasing a lockedoperating rod which extends through the instrument panel.

In this type of automobile, the solenoid switch is now connected to thebattery by a single conductor, but I interpose my sealed switch in thatconnection and so make it that the switch can only be operated by arigid, straight, case hardened steel rod which at one end connectsdirectly with a projecting slide member of a slidable switch armassembly. The slide member or actuating arm, carries a male contactmember, or a switch contact arm, inside the box as well as a contactpost which extends downward through the bottom of the box housing andconnects with the cable to the solenoid switch. Also provided is anotherstationary female contact in the box with a post extending through thebottom of the switch box which post connects with one pole of a battery,the other pole of which is grounded in the usual way.

The special purpose of this device is to locate such a sealed make andbreak switch in its box in a location and in a manner which will make itvery difficult for a thief or any unauthorized person to close thecircuit through the switch or to entirely remove it so that the directconnection between the battery and the solenoid switch can be made andso that while the rigid operating rod can pass in a substantiallystraight direction through the dash and instrument panel in its usualposition below the Windshield, it can be operated by the driver to openthe switch, which is then automatically locked, without a. key. The rodcan then be released by the driver with a key in a spring type lock insuch a position below or behind the instrument panel that anyunauthorized person cannot, without the use of extraordinary force,release the rod from the lock in order to close the switch and start thecar.

When using the word fixed in this specification it is intended todistinguish from the word removable. Fixed is intended to mean riveting,welding or the use of certain types of metal screws, the heads of whichare so made that they require a special type of wrench, as distinguishedfrom those with slotted heads which can be removed by a screwdriver, orpolygonal heads which can be removed by an adjustable flat jawed wrenchknown as a monkey wrench or those having projecting ends or heads whichcan be turned by a Stillson wrench.

I will call such screws fixed screws and they are preferablycounter-sunk and such a screw may have a slot in its head which slot issealed by molten metal. I also use fixed to parts which are fastened inplace by the use of an adhesive.

This type of automobile usually has a chassis or frame 2,768,311Patented Oct. 23, 1956 usually formed of channel irons or beams or angleshaped irons. The frame is carried by wheels between which and the frameare springs or shock absorbers, while the body has at the front aradiator, then a power plant including an engine of the explosive typewith a battery, generator and electric circuits and connections amongwhich is what is known as a solenoid switch or starting switch directlyconnected to the battery. All these are located under a hood whichextends back to a dash below the windshield there being also aninstrument panel extending back and down from the frame between the endof the hood and the windshield. Also extending down and back from thebottom of the dash is a foot board and from that, the floor of a carwhich supports a seat for the driver. Between the seat and the dash is asteering wheel and steering post which extends down to a point wherethere is a gear box for steering.

The particular new features of my device are the provision of a switchattached to some rigid metal part of the body by a bracket or part of abottom member of the switch housing, this housing being preferably madeof insulating material such as a suitable plastic attached to the bodyby a special type of screws known in the trade as fixed screws or bysuitable bolts. This bottom member supports a one piece integral covermade of similar plastic material with a top, sides and ends, this coverbeing also attached to the bottom by suitable screws or bolts.

This cover also preferably includes an integral transverse or crosswisepartition with a guide passage between the sides, top and bottom.

Besides serving as a theft preventing or delaying device, my sealedswitch is of great value in preventing fires caused by heating ofelectric wires, as the operator by opening my automatically lockingswitch if a fire starts, or when he leaves his car parked, cuts otf thebattery current.

The operator can merely pull on the knob of the operating rod thusopening the switch to break the battery circuit and also keeping it openuntil his key is used in the dashboard lock.

The term cable is used herein to mean a conductor that is heavilyinsulated with tough but somewhat flexible material.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a side elevational view of an automobile with its wheelsresting on the ground, the automobile being of the type in which mydevice is located.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational detail view showing the principal parts ofmy device in their most approved position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of such parts out on a somewhatlarger scale.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of my scaled safety switch attached in theposition shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of a part of my safety switch showing the slidefor its movable post and with its seal in place.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of my sealed safety switch as on the line 6-6of Fig. 4 but on a much larger scale.

Fig. 7 is a bottom View of the switch shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 88 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig.6.

Fig. 10 is a back elevational view of the cap seal on the solenoidswitch.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view on line 11-11 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 12 is an isometric view of one type of fixed screw.

Fig. 13 is an isometric view of my switch attached to a bracket fastenedto the automobile frame with the battery and other parts indicated as inpositions different from Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 14 is a detail sectional view of a lock and with parts of the pushand pull rod and dash.

In the drawings, A'represents an automobile of the usual type which ismade up of wheels indicated by W and a frame P which is so suspended onthe wheels that its frame F or chassis is so close to the ground that itis difficult for an unauthorized person to operate underneath,especially if there is a floor l and underneath it a drip pan 11.

. 2 rep-resents a seat, 3 a dash, 4 the usual foot board, 5 a windshieldbelow which and near the back of the hood is an instrument panel I onwhich are certain of the controlling devices such as for lights,starter, and others.

M is the steering wheel, 9 is the steering column and N is the gear boxor housing which is usually below the battery B.

B represents a battery which'as is customary in up to date cars, issupported on a plate 7 shown in some of the views.

S is what is known as a solenoid or starter switch of a well known typeand C is my safety switch which is interposed between the battery B andthe solenoid switch S and is shown as supported by gear box N or by abracket, and as including an operating member E which is connected withand includes a slidable contact 80 inside of switch C and a post 81which extends through the bottom plate 22 of switch C.

P is a pull and push rod which is in extension of member E for my switchC all substantially parallel with steering column 9.

R and T are seals, or shields made of insulating plastic.

This operating member E is fixed to one end of a pull and push rod Pwhich extends in a relatively straight line up through the dash andinstrument panel and can be locked in position by a lock L, below andbehind the instrument panel I by a key K.

The lock and key may be of various types but of such a kind that whenthe rod P is pulled out, the circuit is broken between the ground, thebattery and the solenoid switch. The car is, therefore, made immovableby power from the engine which is of the usual explosive type withelectric ignition.

The part of the circuit as shown extends from the ground through wire 52to battery post 54 thence through the battery B to post 55 and fromthere by wire 50 to a post 66) forming part of the fixed contact 38inside of safety switch C, and when this switch is closed, the currentcontinues through slidable contact 80 and outside post 81 by cable 51 toa post or other suitable fixed connection 57 of the solenoid switch Sfrom which switch by wire or conductor 53, it connects with the otherdevices forming part of the electric wiring assembly for the usual up todate automobile, Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

The sealed safety switch C includes a bottom plate 22 which is shown ashaving an extension 28 through which it is attached to gear box N or toa. bracket and a cover H which includes a top 2% sides 17 and 18, oneend 19,

' all of which are imperfo-rate, and another end 21 through which is anoperating member guide slot 27. See Figs. 6, 7, 8.

There is also a transverse partition 23 through which is an operatingmember conductor guide passage 24 in line with the slot 27 so that theoperating member E can slide in and out to make and break the circuitthrough fixed contact 319 with a V slot 31. See Fig. 6.

The entire top H, including the partition 23 is preferably made in onepiece, as a casting or formed by means of dies, of a very tough plasticof insulating material and which is so tough and hard as to resistbreaking by an ordinary hammer or rock and of a material which willresist chiseling, sawing, cutting, boring or filing so that gettinginside the top, sides, ends or bottom plate, especially when it islocated in a position where it is very hard to get at, to close theswitch is difficult.

The top H preferably is attached to the bottom 22 by means of what areknown as fixed screws 26, 26 as indicated in Fig. 6. These screws areformed with a polyg onal recess, in their exposed end or head. When theparts are screwed together, we prefer to fill this recess 8 with solder46, see Fig. 12, so that the screw cannot be unscrewed with any wrenchand cannot be removed except by some special grinding tool.

Inside the switch C and fixed to the bottom 22 is a fixed contact 30with a V slot 31. to engage a conductor -54 forming part of a slidablecontact and operating member E.

My sealed safety switch C and seals R and T are made of a plastic suchas Amberlite, Amberloyd or Viscoloid.

32 is a post hole for a post at to which wire 50 to battery B is fixed,the wire as shown being fastened in place as by nuts 33, 33. The threadon the end of post is preferably upset or injured so that the nutscannot be removed to disconnect this wire, although it would do no harmif either ground wire 52 or wire 50 was disconnected because the circuitwould still be kept open inside the sealed safety switch C. v

80 represents a slidable contact which includes a post 31 which extendsdown through a slidable post slot 82 in bottom plate 22. This postextends down below and outside and one end of wire or cable 51 isfastened to it by nuts 83, 83. The other end of cable 51 is fixed tosolenoid S at 57.

There is a cover plate, slot 29 ii the bottom plate 22 in which is aslideable cover plate 89 attached to and supporting post 81 so thattamperers, dirt and dust cannot get inside of the safety switch throughthe slidable post slot 82. See Figs. 5, 6, 7, 9.

The other parts of the operating member E besides slidable contact 3 9includes a conductor 64 which goes through the operating member guidepassage 24 and is held between the top and bottom plates 62, 62 ofinsulating material, both of which pass through the operating memberguide slot 27 in end 21, these being held together as by rivets 65, 65and there is also a hole 66 by which it is attached to pull and push rodP.

As shown, there is a guide plate 84 and nuts and 2'57 at the inner endof post 31 to guide member E between the sides 17 and 18 of cover H, tohold conductor 64 in place as part of contact 3% and member E, and toact as a stop therefor and for red P.

The pull and push rod P has a straight shank 70 of very'hard metal suchas tool steel bent at its front end 71 to go through hole 66 in memberE. End 71 is threaded at its tip and then fixed in place by means of anu-tr72, through a hole in which is driven a pin 73. The tip of end 71might be upset or held fixedly in place by some other means.

Shank 74) goes through a lock L and hole 78 in instrument panel 1 andits back end 77 is threaded to engage the threads in an operating knob74, Fig. 14.

Shank 7 9 also has notches 75, any one of which can be engaged by a bolt76 of a lock L or by tumblers in such look. In every case, rod P isreleasable by a key K in the lock L, which is of the spring type and ofthe strongest construction to resist breaking or manipulating by any oneto release the rod P and close sealed switch C.

The extension 28 of switch bottom 22 is fixed to gear box N by means offixed screws 144, 144, and is therefore at about the same angle as thesteering column 9, Figs. 3 and 4.

Instead of being fixed to gear box N, my sealed switch C can be fixed toan arm 40 of a bracket D by fixed screws 44, 44 passing throughextension 28 of bottom plate 22. The leg 41 can be fastened by fixedscrews 45, 45 to any part such as 6 of frame F.

In every case, the safety switch C should be positioned at a slightslope so that operating member E and push and pull rod P will extend inthe same straight line, whereby the rod to be released to close theswitch must not only be unlocked, but must be pushed in to engage theinside contacts 80 and 30.

It is important that the metal conducting parts of slidable contact 80including post 81, friction washer 88 and nuts 83, 83 and also thecontact end plate 56 of cable 51 held between nuts 83, 83 should besealed and insulated.

As shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 9 and 11, this is done by means of aninsulating seal R of plastic or other tough insulating material having ahollow head 90 to go over the parts 81, 83, 83, 88 and 56, a flat neck91 cemented to slide 89 and a semi-annular collar 92 which partlysurrounds the insulation 93 of wire or cable 51 and which is preferablyattached to slide 89 by cement 97 and may also be cemented to insulation93, Fig. 11.

- Seal R, therefore, moves with slide 89, extension E and rod P and oneend of cable 51 also moves with them.

As the solenoid switch S is usually of metal made as a cylinder, asomewhat diflerently shaped seal T of similar material to R is cementedto S in the form of a cap 98 to cover and to insulate and protect itsmetal conductive parts such as post 95, the end plate 58 and nut 59 asshown in Fig. 10.

Cap seal T has an opening 96 through which the insulation 93 or cable 51passes with a close fit and preferably it is cemented in place and toseal opening 96.

Insulating seals R and T are preferably cemented in place after the endplates 56 and 58 have been attached.

Cable 51 is the vital connection between my switch C and solenoid switchS and it must be protected electrically by a thick, tough covering ofinsulating material such as must also be used for seals R and T.

My switch is interposed in this vital connection in a position,preferably on the gear box which is below the battery and the solenoidswitch and in a very inaccessible part of the mechanism, the connectionsfor my switch being preferably underneath and consisting of a stationaryfemale contact with a post which extends down through the bottom andconnects with the non-grounded pole of the battery there being also aslidable male contact which has a post extending down through a slot inthe bottom of the switch, this post being connected to the solenoidswitch by a cable, both ends of which, one at the slidable switch postand the other at the stationary solenoid post, are completely sealed andprotected by the seals R and T.

As the battery B is in different locations in diiferent cars and thegear box N may be obstructed by wires and other parts, the wire 50 ispreferably a cable and the safety switch C may be on a bracket D.

, The bracket such as D can be made of any suitable form for anyparticular arrangement of any car or type of car on which it is to beused, and if a splash pan such as 21 is used, switch C is preferably insuch a location that this pan will be between the switch and the ground.See Fig. 13.

The battery and solenoid may be in any convenient location preferablynear each other and the safety switch between is preferably in anyposition which is low and difiicult to reach under.

- The lock L is welded at 110 to instrument panel I and may be of a wellknown Yale or cylinder type with a tubular barrel 10 in which a plug 11is turnable and not slidable with a bolt 76 having a tooth 12, the boltbeing normally pressed by a spring to engage one of the notches 75 inrod P to allow the rod to be pulled outward but not to be pushed inwarduntil the plug and its bolt are released from a notch by the use of akey K in a well known way to release the bolt 76 with its bevelled endor tooth 12 from a complementary bevelled notch 75 cut in the rod P.

The parts of lock L are so arranged that when the rod is pulled awayfrom switch C to open that switch, it is automatically locked by thespring bolt 76 but when the tooth 12 of the bolt is released by the keyK, rod P must also be pushed in and be free to be pulled out by theoperator to lock the car without using the key.

Several types of locks can be used, but I prefer the one 6 shown in Fig.14 in which the bolt 76 of lock L is square at its tooth end '12 andwhere it passes through fixed guide 13 but it is round between itscollar 102 and its other end which enters into hole 106 in plug 11 inwhich it is slidabl'e but not turnable.

16 is a holder for pins 104 and is fixed to barrel 10 as by a pin 117which prevents it from turning or sliding and it may also be Welded tobarrel 10 while 68 and 69 are stops on plug 11 which allow it to beturned but not to be pulled out.

Compression spring 101 between collar 102 and the end 103 of plug 11normally keeps end 12 in contact with rod P so that it will engage anotch 75 when rod P is pulled out but will prevent rod from being pushedback to close switch C.

Tumblers or pins 104 in barrel 10 normally keep plug 11 from turninguntil disengaged by key K in a well known way and as plug 11 is providedwith a triangular slot 15 into which a pin 14 fixed to bolt 76 enters,when the key K and plug 11 are turned to the right, pin 14 pulls the end12 of plug 76 out of a notch 75 so that rod P can be pushed in thusclosing my switch C.

In assembling my complete device the safety switch with top H and bottom22 with the contacts and operating member in place inside may also beconnected to the push and pull rod P as described, but without theoperating knob 74.

End 77 of rod P can be pushed through hole 78 in panel I or rod P can beattached to member E afterwards.

Cable 51 is connected to post 81 of my switch and sealed by seal R.

Cable 51 is connected and fixed to the post 57 of solenoid S and theconnection is then sealed as by seal T.

The sealing material and the material for switch top H and bottom 22 maybe cellulose nitrate, pyroxylyn, cellulose propionate, Bakelitepolystyrene, glass bonded mica or other similar plastics.

All the parts of scaled switch C are fixed together and if one is used,to bracket D so that the posts of the safety switch C will extenddownward preferably below the battery B on gear box N or below an arm ofthe bracket D before the bracket is attached to the frame, as fasteningto the frame is the last step in the process of sealing the parts inplace. The switch C, alone or on bracket D, is fixed in the mostdifficult available position for anyone to reach so as to operate onwith ordinary hand tools such as wrenches, chisels, saws, hammers.

The fundamental idea of this device is to interpose in a vital part ofthe circuit between the ground, one pole of the battery, through thebattery, through the other pole and from there hrough a cable whichconnects with a solenoid switch from which other wires extend. My switchis interposed in this vital cable connection 51 between the battery andthe solenoid switch.

The ground wire 52, its post 54 and the other post 55 of the batteryneed not be protected as no harm is done if the wire 50 between batteryB and my switch C is entirely taken off and replaced by another, but theother post 81 of my switch C at one end or" cable 51 must be wellprotected by the seal R and the same is true of the post or other device57 of the solenoid switch S at the other end of cable 51 by seal T.

If the posts 81 and 57, cable 51 and all its terminals as in my deviceare protected by insulation, preferably waterproof, fireproof and sotough that they are difiicult even to saw through, and the rod P andlock L are of such a character that when switch C is once opened, itcannot be closed without the use of a key, while it may be possible tocut other wires or to pick the lock, that is exceedingly difficult.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the key end 78 of barrel 10 of a lock L canbe at the right or left, the lock being in a horizontal positiontransversely with no part showing below the bottom run 118 of panel I,but I prefer to position the lock L vertically as shown in Fig. 14 withthe key end. 78 just showing below run 118 so that it is easier for thedriver to locate it but not easier for a thief to locate or to removeit.

I may or may not use a seal such as R or T over either post 54 or 55 orover both, but this is not essential and other shapes and types of sealsmay be used at the terminals of cable 51.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion vehicle, tamper resistant, power cut offmechanism, said mechanism comprising a sealed, immovable, cut off switchhousin of rigid, non conductive material having a contact post hole anda contact post slot in the bottom thereof and an actuating arm passagein a wall thereof; a slidable switch arm assembly 7 including a rigidswitch contact arm of conductive material within said housing, a firstrigid contact post of conductivematerial, supported by a cover plate,slidably fitting said slot and extending out of and below said contactpost slot and an actuating arm of rigid non conductive materialextending out of, and closely, slidably fitting said actuating armpassage; a second rigid contact post of conductive material, fixed inand entirely filling said contact post hole and having a portion withinsaid housing in the path of said switch contact arm and a portionextending below and outside said contact post hole; a conductorconnecting the exterior portion of said second rigid contact post to asource of current; a conductor cable, encircled by tough insulation,connecting the exterior portion of said first contact post to a solenoidswitch terminal of the vehicle starter; a pair of shields of tough nonconductive material, each mounted around an opposite end of said cable,one said shield covering the cable connection to the first contact, postand the other said shield covering the cable connection to the solenoidswitch terminal; a bracket for mounting said cut ofi switch housing withthe bottom thereof facing the floor of the motor compartment and at alevel just above the level of said floor; a straight rod, forming arigid axially aligned extension to said actuating arm, said rodextending into the driver compartment and terminating at the instrumentpanel, and a key operated lock mounted on the instrument panel butencircling said rod, for controlling the movement of the rod.

2. In an automobile of the type having a power cut off switch betweenthe battery and the starter the combination of a said housing beingsealed except for a side wall having a passage and a bottom Wall havingan elongated slot housing for said switch; bracket means for mountingsaid housing just above the floor of the automobile motor compartmentwith the housing bottom facing downwardly; a cover plate slideablycovering said elongated slot and supporting a movable contact arm and apost of said switch said post extending through the bottom of saidhousing; a cable encircled by tough insulation, connecting said contactpost with a terminal of the starter; a pair of shields, one shieldcovering the cable connection to said switch contact post and the othersaid shield covering the cable connection to said starter and slideableswitch actuation means, including a rigid actuating arm closely fitting,and slideable in, a passage in a wall of the housing and rigidlyconnected to said cover plate, contact post and contact arm for movingthe same from outside said housing to actuate the switch within thehousing.

'3. A combination as specified in claim 2 wherein said slideable switchactuation means includes a rigid rod in fixed extension of saidactuating arm and terminating in the drivers compartment of saidautomobile.

4. A safety switch for automobiles adapted to be supported by and fixedto the automobile frame between the automobile starter solenoid switchand the automobile battery, said switch including, a bottom plate ofinsulating.

material on said housing, said plate supporting a fixed contact postalso extending therebelow and including an elongated contact post slotfor a movable contact post; a one piece housing cover of insulatingmaterial fixed to the bottom plate and enclosing said switch, said coverhaving a transverse partition pierced with an inner elongated guidepassage and an end wall, parallel to said partition, pierced with aregistering outer guide passage; a switch actuating member closelyfitting and slideable in said outer guide passage, said member having aslideable switch contact arm slideable in said inner guide passageadapted to engage the portion of said fixed upstanding contact postwithin said housing and having a contact post extending through saidcontact post slot and movable with said member; a conductor, coveredwith tough insulation, attached to said movable contact post and adaptedto connect the same with the automobile starter; a shield, including acover plate supporting the movable contact post and slideable in agroove in said housing bottom said plate completely covering theelongated slot for said movable post in said bottom and said shieldextending entirely around the adjacent end of said conductor to preventaccess to the cable connection to said movable contact post, and lockingmeans, operatively connected to said switch actuating member, forlocking said member against sliding movement in said outer guidepassage.

5. A safety switch for automobiles, said switch comprising a hollowhousing of rigid imperforate, non-conductive, material, said housinghaving a side wall with a passage and a bottom wall with an aperture andan elongated slot; an immovable switch contact post fixed in, andentirely filling said aperture, said post having a contact point withinsaid housing and a terminal outside said housing; a slideably movableswitch contact assembly, said assembly including a cover plate slideablymounted to cover said slot, a switch contact post supported by saidplate and having a terminal outside said housing and a contact armwithin said housing adapted to engage the contact point of said fixedcontact post and an actuating arm of rigid, non-conductive materialfixed to said movable switch contact assembly within said housing, saidactuating arm being slideable in, and substantially filling, saidpassage and extending outside said housing for opening and closing saidswitch without permitting access to the interior of said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,104,689 Barker et al. Jan. 4, 1938 2,439,634 Robey Apr. 13, 19482,475,220 Chaulk et a1. July 5, 1949 2,500,182 Huertas Mar. 14, 19502,519,167 Wilde Aug. 15, 1950

